Super Bowl, Baby!!

As you can tell from these pictures, the boys had a GREAT time in NOLA. They were all a little tired on Tuesday, feeling as if they themselves had played in the game, but I think the aches and pains were worth it. Yes, they were all in the Dome when the lights went out, but don't really have much to say about it. The experience of being here through it all has far outweighed a little power surge. 

Today Mom and I are in the waiting area once again down here in Baltimore, hoping Dad is released from Same Day Surgery soon. He had a medi-port put in to assist with systemic chemotherapy in the coming months. Since the tumor cannot come out, the plan is to work toward pushing this cancer into remission.....keeping it from spreading and growing via more chemo. Dad responded VERY well to the first treatments, shrinking his tumor by a full centimeter. We pray that he responds as well to this chemo. "Folfirinox" is the name of this next therapy. It is a combination of 4 different drugs, released into his system throughout a 3-day schedule. Mom and Dad will only need to come to Baltimore once every two weeks to get started on Day 1. Day 2 and 3 will be released through the port while in the comforts of their home, with the cats. A nurse will come to their home to help take care of the port and treatments on Day 2 and 3. This will last for 4 separate treatments, about 2 months. 

To my prayer warriors, please continue more than ever! This chemo could potentially deliver some side effects that Dad may have a difficult time adjusting to. Please pray his side effects are minimal and that the cancer cells cease to spread! 

Many thanks for all of the love and support everyone has shown my parents. They have TRULY loved receiving the cards. Some of you are still sending them (Thank you, SG:)). 

Hugs and love to ALL......Jen

 

More than 70+ Cards!!!!

By the pictures attached above, hopefully you can tell that my parents were overwhelmed with cards! I was able to spend Saturday with them for Mom's birthday, and go through some of them, but there were SOOOO many! Thank you, everyone! Many of you are VERY funny:)

AND....not only did you far exceed the goal of 70, but you may have also helped the US Postal Service pull out of debt? Well.....maybe not, and I shall refrain from further comment on that;)

Tomorrow we go down to Baltimore for post-op appointment. We also requested a "Multi-D" appointment so that we can meet with all 3 docs on the team at the same time. What a logistical nightmare that was....
We hope to have our questions answered, or at least be able to make decisions about next steps and whether those next steps are at UMMC, or perhaps at another cancer center. Not sure. Stay tuned.

Topic shift and on a MUCH happier note. Dad, Jeff (my brother), Marc (brother-in-law), and my husband leave Friday for New Orleans. They are SUPER BOWL BOUND!!!! GO RAVENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, everyone, for sending those cards along. It was great fun to be greeted each afternoon with so much mail. It was a nice distraction for them both. I was not there to observe the process, but knowing my parents, it went something like this:     Dad opened each envelope with an official letter opener (careful not to tear the envelope), took out the card and read it silently, then passed it to Mom, who read each one out loud, as if Dad needed help with the big words. What a pair they make;)

Please continue to pray for healing within heart, mind, and soul. This journey continues to present its challenges in all of our hearts, minds, and souls.

Much love to all.............Jen

We are home. ...

Dad was discharged this afternoon. The team of docs are meeting tomorrow morning to discuss next steps. Preliminarily, it seems more chemo via a port is being recommended. Potentially, if dad responds to this like the first round of treatment, the tumor may be resectable. Please pray purposefully for the cancer to dissolve from the hepatic artery so that it can be removed. 

Thanks everyone!  Love to all.....much!
Jen

Cancer is stupid....

and apparently so am I. Duh.....you need an address!!!!

Nancy Snead
James Snead
72 Rio Lane
Falling Waters, WV 25419

Mom and I were here before 6 this morning so that we didn't miss rounds with the surgical residents.  Dad was already awake watching the news. The surgeons finally came parading in a little after 7am. They didn't really share anything new. They just reviewed what had been "discovered" during surgery yesterday with the involvement of the hepatic artery. They confirmed for dad that tumor removal was not a viable option anymore. When they left it was a very quiet room, to include lots of head rubbing, analyzing, and thinking.  At that point, I took Mom out to get some coffee, and let Dad alone with his thoughts for a little while.

A medical oncology fellow with Dr. Jiang's office visited, as well. I really liked him, and he reminded me of my own medical oncologist. He checked on Dad's pain and incision and asked some general questions about family histories of cancer. He said the team is going to work together to determine next steps.

Right now, Dad's in pain. He can push his button every 8 minutes, so I've set a timer for that and wake him to push it. He's going to be permitted clear liquids later today. Right now he's got the ice chip thing going on.  He's been rocking out to bluegrass on Pandora, which helps drown out the hallway noise of pagers, phones, and inane chatter.

This  blog is getting over 200 hits a day, and I hope that volume of interested individuals helps me with a little something fun. My mother's 70th birthday is January 27th, next Sunday. When my dad turned 70 last year, we had a big surprise party for him at my house. It was so much fun! The plan has always been to do the same for Mom, but when this stupid cancer thing came up, that changed things. So, then we hoped that Mom's best gift would be to have Dad home cancer-free for her birthday next week, but now this stupid cancer thing wrenched up that plan too. I know that all of you want "something" to do to help support my parents right now. Here's your task: Find a card store. Look for funny and/or humorous get well cards for Dad. He is not easily offended, so have fun with whatever you find. Then, go to the birthday section of said card store, and find a funny/humorous birthday card for my Mom. My goal is for Mom to receive at least 70 cards for her 70th birthday. If you do not directly know my parents, please feel free to participate as well, and just share your relationship in the cards. I foresee Dad being discharged mid to late next week. Carrying this heavy feeling home will bring on a new host of emotions, but how wonderful it will be to experience overwhelming support (and humor....the humor thing is important) when the mailbox cannot handle the load of get well and birthday wishes just waiting to be opened and read. It will be a good distraction and redirection from reality, even if just for a little while.

Mom's pastor was here this morning. We prayed together around Dad. What a warm feeling. I ask my prayer warriors to keep on keeping on. I'm not giving up on surgery. I'm not giving up on cure. I'm not giving up on a miracle either. Keep on, keeping on!

Thanks for the comments and emails. I love you guys!
Jen

Not the conversation I wanted to have....

When Dr. Alexander told us this morning that Dad was no longer a candidate for the whipple, I asked  him when he was going to tell Dad. He said he didn't want to tell him today b/c Dad would still be under anesthesia and would not remember what he was told. I know Dad, though. I told the doc that when Dad wakes up in recovery, the first question he is going to ask is, "What time is it?" When the time is mid-afternoon and not evening, he's already going to know that the surgery didn't progress as planned and start asking questions of me.

I hate when I'm right....

Mom and I were called back to recovery around 2:15. We were only allowed to stay until 2:35. Dad was sound asleep when he first saw him, which was good, b/c Mom and I needed a box of tissues. Just the thought of the news that he was going to hear when he woke up.....*sigh*

About 5 minutes into our visit, he woke up and said.....(wait for it....wait for it...wait for it)
"What time is it?"  I acted like I didn't hear him hoping that he would really just fall back into drug sleep. No such luck. Finally, I had to tell him it was 2:30. Then he said, "So what'd they say?" Again, I pretended like I had a sudden hearing loss, hoping sleep would take over. No such luck. Of course, it hadn't really been a day of good luck.

Me: "The good news is, your infected gall bladder is gone and that drain is gone. However, they were not able to take 'it' out." (go to sleep, please go back to sleep....for goodness sake you are all drugged up, can you please be like normal people and sleep this off?)

Dad: "Why not?"

Me: (if I could just find that pain button right now, I'd push it) Well......they found that a major artery was involved with the cancer, and it just wasn't safe to take anything out today."

Dad: "Oh."

And then he fell back to sleep and I thought that perhaps he wouldn't remember anything I said. Good, I am off the hook.

NOT! He woke up again and picked up our conversation where he left off.

Dad: "So what's the plan with that tumor then?"

Me: "I don't know, Dad. I don't have any details. The team is getting together to problem solve next steps. I'm sure Dr. Alexander will go over everything with you later." (Now can you please stop asking me questions? This is not the conversation that I wanted to have.)

I'm used to telling parents things they don't want to hear, but need to hear. Typically, though, it's not my own parents.

So now Mom and I are back in the waiting room. Dad will be moved to his room when he comes out of anesthesia a little more and we'll be able to go be with him. I hope by that time someone else has had a talk with him. I could really use a room to just go scream in right now.

Prayers now more than ever, please!

Much love to all....Jen

Update......

I wish I had better news to share. The surgeon came out about an hour into surgery to tell us that he cannot proceed with the whipple. Turns out, the cancer grew a sheath around an artery...something tests, scans, and such cannot pick up. Our options at this point are to investigate treatments to force the cancer into remission.

I've never been hit by a car or truck or train, but I would imagine that it feels something like this very moment.

Please keep praying for Dad's spirits when he wakes up. This news will impact him more than the initial news of the cancer.

Much love to all....Jen